Jazz Guitar Chords for Beginner Jazz shopcider

New jazz guitarists have much to learn on their journey towards becoming a professional, not the least of which is jazz guitar chords.

From the shopcider of jazz into the mainstream, everyone who has a keen ear for music has recognized the importance of etching guitar chords in their memory.

Here are some of the most important jazz guitar chords you need to have in your guitar case to become the guitarist you've always wanted to be.

Minor 7 b5

Minor seventh flat five chords are also known as half diminished chords. There are countless ways to note these chords. You'll typically see it as -7b5, min7b5 or often with a circle with a line through it. Muting is equally important on this chord. You can create this shape with a 2nd finger used to mute the 5th string, and your first finger to mute the 1st string. On the second shape you can use the tip of your first finger to mute out the 6th string and your fourth finger to mute the 1st string. Putting it altogether and you'll get the magical Minor 7b5 jazz guitar chord.

Major 7

In most cases, however, the first chord you'll learn as a jazz musician is the Major 7th chord. Thanks to their jazzy and ultra-hip vibe, Major 7 chords are a favorite for jazz guitarists. This chord is one of the root chords in all jazz progressions, and allows you to move up and down the fret board to create sounds you dig. It's a good idea to practice playing songs that have 7th chords to recognize how they are played and applied. Locating the root of the movable chord shape is equally important to excel at playing this chord.

Minor 7

Of the same chord notation as the Major 7, the Minor 7 chord is a minor triad that adds the minor seventh. A good example might be Cm7 which consists of notes including C, eB, G and Bd. One good thing to practice with this chord is muting the 5th string in the first grip with your second finger. The second grip you should use just the tip of your first finger to mute the 6th string. Do your best to prefect these grips as they are essential when you have a 5th string root note. Throughout jazz history the Minor 7 has been used to create popular songs, and it's one of the more foundation jazz guitar chords used. Make it your goal to know it by heart.

Dominant 7-E Shape

In most cases, Dominant 7th chords are written 7, without the dominant used in the description. However, they are extremely important to building your repertoire of jazz music skills, so do your part to learn how to accurately play them.

Diminished 7

Diminished 7 chords are incredibly interesting to play. Every Diminished 7 note is a root note, so all you really have to do is make sure the note you want is under one of your fingers. If it is, you have the right chord.

You can move the shape of the chord up and down with minor 3rd intervals, and your notes will stay the same. While it can be confusing, the importance of learning and understanding the Diminished 7 is essential if you want to become an amazing jazz guitarist.